Accessibility
How easy it is to enter or reach physically, including ease of use for disabled persons. See also Public Transport Accessibility Level.
Affordable Housing
Affordable housing is housing that is provided to meet the housing needs of households whose needs are not met by the private market. It can either be social rented housing, affordable rented housing or intermediate affordable housing.
Social rented housing is rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and registered providers of social housing, for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime, and which is made available to eligible households nominated by the Council.
Affordable rented housing is rented housing provided by registered providers of social housing which is similar to social rented housing except that it is outside the national rent regime, but is subject to other rent controls that require it to be offered to eligible households at a rent of up to 80 per cent of local market rents.
Intermediate affordable housing is housing at prices and rents above those of social rent but below market price or rents, and which meet the needs of eligible households including availability at a cost low enough for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices and include provisions for the home to be retained for future eligible households or for any subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision. These can include shared equity and shared ownership homes for sale, and intermediate rent, but does not include affordable rented housing.
Starter homes are homes for which 100% of the equity is sold at first point of sale but which are discounted so that the maximum price is the lower of 80% of the market value of the property or £450,000. They are not affordable in perpetuity and after a number of years may be sold at full market value. Potential purchasers must be first time buyers and meet other pre-defined criteria.
Airport City
This seeks to promote businesses and employment opportunities which capitalise on Croydon's proximity to Gatwick, Heathrow, London City and Biggin Hill Airports and central London.
Amenity
The experience of a place as pleasant or attractive, which contributes to its overall character and to the enjoyment of residents or visitors; or something that contributes to an area's environmental, social, economic or cultural needs.
Archaeological Priority Areas
Areas that are known to be of archaeological importance because of past finds, excavations or historical evidence.
Biodiversity
The variety of species of flora and fauna.
Biodiversity Action Plan
A plan of action for protecting, conserving and enhancing wildlife at a local level. The UK signed up to the Biodiversity Convention at the 1992 Rio 'Earth Summit'. This confirms the UK's commitment to protecting and enhancing wildlife. The UK Biodiversity Steering Group has emphasised the importance of Local Biodiversity Action plans. In 2013 Croydon's Biodiversity Action Plan consisted of four Habitat Action Plans.
Borough Character Appraisal
An analysis and assessment of every residential neighbourhood in the borough to determine the predominant type of housing and architectural form, together with other physical and natural features that give each area its distinct character.
Brownfield
Land that has been previously developed (excluding agricultural land or buildings, gardens, mineral works and temporary uses).
Car Club
An organisation that owns cars that are available for use by its members. People arrange to use the car in advance and pay according to how much they use it. The advantage is that people have cars available for use, but avoid many of the costs of running a car as they only pay when they need to use it.
Climate Change
Long term alterations in weather patterns, in particular to temperature and precipitation. Anthropogenic climate change refers to a warming climate across the globe caused by the increase of levels of greenhouses gases in the atmosphere as a result of human activities.
BREEAM
Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) is used to measure the sustainability performance of commercial buildings.
Cohesive Communities
A society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities.
Combined Heat and Power system
The generation of electricity by burning fossil or renewable fuels is relatively inefficient and produces a large amount of heat as a by-product. Combined heat and power (or CHP) makes much better use of the original energy source (gas, diesel, coal, biomass, waste) as it captures the heat produced during electricity generation and supplies it via small or large networks for commercial or domestic recipients. This is because CHP generation makes efficient use of the original energy source by utilising two forms of energy output, therefore its product is considered low in carbon dioxide.
Compulsory Purchase Order
An order issued by the government of a local authority to acquire land or buildings for public interest purposes. For example, for the construction of a major road or the redevelopment of certain brownfield sites.
Community Infrastructure Levy
The Community Infrastructure Levy is a levy that local authorities can choose to charge on new developments in their area. The money can be used to support development by funding infrastructure that the Council, local community and neighbourhoods need to enable growth.
Community Facilities
Facilities providing for the health and wellbeing (excluding care homes, residential homes and nursing homes), social, educational, spiritual, recreational, leisure and cultural needs of the community, including public houses and post offices.
Connectivity
The degree to which a place is connected by routes to other places and its own parts are connected with each other.
Conservation Area
Areas designated by the Council under Section 69(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as being of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. Conservation Area Consent is required for the demolition of unlisted buildings in Conservation Areas.
Creative and Cultural Industries
A sector of the economy characterised by businesses and organisations associated with higher levels of creativity and cultural activity, such as designers, artists, theatres and architects.
Detailed Policies and Proposals
The Detailed Policies and Proposals contribute towards delivering the Croydon Local Plan 2018's Strategic Policies and its objectives by setting out detailed planning policies that the Council will use when determining applications for planning permission in the borough. They also allocate land for future development to help deliver the development requirements of the Plan and set out proposals for major development sites in the borough and other site-specific/designation policies as appropriate.
Croydon Metropolitan Centre (CMC)
A metropolitan centre serves a wide catchment which can extend over several boroughs and into parts of the wider south east region. Typically they contain at least 100,000m2 of retail floor space with a significant proportion of high-order comparison goods relative to convenience goods. These centres generally have very good accessibility and significant employment, service and leisure functions.
Croydon Monitoring Report
The Croydon Monitoring Report (formerly the Annual Monitoring Report), assesses the implementation of the Local Development Scheme (LDS – essentially the timetable for the production of the Local Development Framework), the extent to which policies in the Local Development Framework are being successfully implemented, and the need for possible changes to policy.
Croydon Opportunity Area
Opportunity Areas are designated by the London Plan and are London's principal opportunities for accommodating large scale development to provide substantial numbers of new employment and housing with a mixed and intensive use of land and assisted by good public transport accessibility. The Mayor has designated an Opportunity Area in central Croydon known as Croydon Opportunity Area.
Croydon Panoramas
The criteria applied for identification includes the following:
Cycle Hub
A point for collecting or returning bicycles available for hire.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
The UK government department responsible for policy and regulations on the environment, food and rural affairs.
Development Management
The process of managing development from design through applying for planning permission to implementation whilst ensuring that it achieves planning objectives.
Development Plan
This contains the policies and guidance which manage development in a Local Authority area. Under the present planning system the Development Plan comprises the London Plan, the Local Development Framework and saved policies in the existing Unitary Development Plan.
Development Plan Document (DPD)
A policy document in the Local Development Framework, which is subject to public consultation and an independent examination.
District Energy Networks
The connection of a series of buildings via a pipe network in order to receive heat and potentially other energy services including cooling and electricity. The network incorporates a single or multiple energy centres usually based on combined heat and power generation plant. District energy networks are most suitable for areas of high urban density like Croydon Opportunity Area because of the demand and relatively short distances for the heat or energy to be distributed.
District Centre
Distributed more widely than the metropolitan centres, providing convenience goods and services for more local communities and accessible by public transport, walking and cycling. Typically they contain 10,000 – 50,000m2 of retail floor space. Some District centres have developed specialist shopping functions.
Enterprise Centre
This refers to a facility which promotes the start up and development of small and medium sized businesses in the area through the provision of business information and support services.
Equalities Analysis
Equalities Analysis has been developed as a tool for ensuring that equality, social inclusion and community cohesion issues can be considered when drawing up policies or proposals which affect the delivery of services, the carrying out of the Council's functions and the employment practice of the authority.
Evidence Base
The NPPF paragraph 158 states each local planning authority should ensure that the Local Plan is based on adequate, up-to-date and relevant evidence about the economic, social and environmental characteristics and prospects of the area. Local planning authorities should ensure that their assessment of and strategies for housing, employment and other uses are integrated, and that they take full account of relevant market and economic signals.
Flood Risk Zone
These zones comprise land assessed as having vulnerability to flooding from river, sea and other sources and the potential to increase flood risk elsewhere through the addition of hard surfaces and the effect of the new development on surface water run-off.
Fluvial Flooding
Flooding resulting from water levels exceeding the bank level of a main river or watercourse.
Grade A Office floor space
Grade A Office floor space is the most sought after space on the market. It will usually contain a number of the following features:
Green Belt
Green Belt is a national policy designation that helps to contain development, protect the countryside and promote brownfield development, and assists in urban regeneration. There is a general presumption against inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
Green Grid
This is a network which will link open spaces with a network of walking and cycling routesand is being planned alongside the development of other infrastructure.
Green Infrastructure
The open environment within urban areas, the urban fringe and the countryside, which forms a network of connected, high quality, multi-functional open spaces, corridors and the links in between that provide multiple benefits for people and wildlife.
Green Arc Vision
Bringing the Big Outdoors closer to people through the creation of an extensive and attractive and valued recreational landscape of well-connected and accessible countryside around London, for people and wildlife.
Groundwater Flooding
Flooding that occurs when water levels in the ground rise above surface elevations.
Heat Island Effect
Refers to the tendency for a city or town to remain warmer than its surroundings, by as much as 5.5ºC or more. This effect is caused mostly by the lack of vegetation and soil moisture, which would normally use the absorbed sunlight to evaporate water as part of photosynthesis.
Heritage Assets
A building, monument, site, place, area or landscape positively identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions.
Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance
The Mayor of London's Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance incorporates the standards previously set out in the London Housing Design Guide. This sets a new benchmark for housing in the capital and aims to provide consistency and clarity about what is expected in London from the outset of a development. The standards are anticipated to be taken forward across all tenures.
Housing Typologies Study
A piece of evidence base which tested how different types and sizes of dwellings might be accommodated within Croydon Opportunity Area and how such development might be phased.
Imagine Croydon
A project which sought to define a long term vision for Croydon; the vision seeks to explain how Croydon may be shaped, how it will function and what it will look like in 2040, based on local community needs and the aspirations and views of local residents, businesses and organisations.
Inclusive Communities
A community, whereby each person is respected as a citizen who can fully exercise his or her rights and responsibilities.
Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP)
The delivery of a sound Local Development Framework, including the Croydon Local Plan 2018, and other development plan documents, will depend on an IDP. An IDP usually consists of a delivery strategy, an infrastructure delivery schedule of projects likely to be funded and a schedule of required infrastructure.
Innovation
Whilst there are many forms of innovation, references in this document relate to the practice where academic specialists work closely with businesses to cultivate ideas, identify and transform important technological discoveries into commercial ventures.
Legibility
Legibility describes how easily people can find their way around a place.
Local Centre
Typically serves a localised catchment often mostly accessible by walking and cycling and may comprise a local parade and small clusters of shops, mostly for convenience goods and other services. This may include a small supermarket (less than 2,000m2), sub-post office, pharmacy, launderette and other useful local services. Together with District Centres they can play a key role in addressing areas deficient in local retail and other services.
Local Designated Landmark
The criteria used to identify landmarks are:
Local Designated Views
The criteria applied for identification includes the following:
Local Development Framework (LDF)
The LDF is a suite of planning policy documents consisting of Development Plan Documents (DPDs) and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). DPDs and SPDs must conform to the Strategic Policies of the Croydon Local Plan 2018. Once adopted, LDF documents will replace the saved policies contained within the old style Unitary Development Plan (The Croydon Plan, July 2006).
Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)
A partnership, that brings together businesses, Councils and universities to develop a growth strategy and bid for funding.
Local Green Space
Open space that is demonstrably special to the local community and holds a particular local significance because of its beauty, historic importance, recreational value, tranquillity or richness of its wildlife. It does not include Green Belt and must be local in character and not cover extensive tracts of land.
Local Heritage Areas
Local Heritage Areas (LHAs) are distinctive locally significant heritage assets that have been designated as a result of their heritage and architectural or townscape or landscape value. LHAs are characterised by their locally recognised, distinctive and particularly high quality examples of more familiar types of local historic development. They are areas of a recognised local heritage significance which additionally meets one or more of the following three criteria:
Localism Act 2011
The Localism Act 2011 was given Royal Assent on 15 November 2011. This Act shifts power from central government back into the hands of individuals, communities and Councils and includes five key measures that underpin the Government's approach to decentralisation; Community rights, Neighbourhood planning, Housing, General power of competence and Empowering cities and other local areas.
Local Listed Buildings
The locally listed buildings and structures within Croydon are considered by the public and the Council as having special local architectural or historic interest, to be of significance to the local community and to contribute to the environmental and cultural heritage of the borough. All locally listed buildings should satisfy at least two of the following criteria:
Locally Listed Historic Parks and Gardens
The criteria for the local list of historic parks and gardens are set by Historic England along with the London Parks and Gardens Trust. This stipulates that the site have at least one of the following:
Local Strategic Partnership (LSP)
An LSP is a non-statutory body that brings together the different parts of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors, working at a local level. The lead player in the LSP is the local Council. Other players will include the police and NHS Croydon.
Masterplan
This term is used here to describe a 'spatial masterplan', which sets out proposals for buildings, spaces, movement strategy and land use in three dimensions and matches these proposals to a delivery strategy.
Mayor's Supplementary Planning Guidance
The Mayor of London produces Supplementary Planning Guidance to provide further detail on particular policies in the London Plan. Supplementary guidance is used to support statutory development plans.
Metropolitan Green Belt (MGB)
See Green Belt
Metropolitan Open Land (MOL)
Areas of predominantly open land within the built- up area with significance beyond one borough.
Mixed-use development
Development for a variety of activities on single sites or across wider areas, such as town centres.
Multiversity
A university-level organisation with many constituent and affiliated institutions and campuses.
National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
Published in March 2012, the National Planning Policy Framework is a key part of Government reforms to make the planning system less complex and more accessible, and to promote sustainable growth. The NPPF replaces all existing Planning Policy Statements and Planning Policy Guidance.
Natural Signatures
Guidance produced by Natural England to re-establish the relationship between the built and natural aspects of London.
National Technical Standards (2015)
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has enacted a package of deregulatory changes (announced March 2015) to the building regulations in 2012.
Natural Surveillance
Informal or natural surveillance aims limit the opportunity for crime by increasing the perception that people can be seen by those living, working or passing through an area. Natural surveillance can be achieved by ensuring doors and windows look onto public spaces, parking areas and streets, encouraging a diversity of uses, encouraging pedestrian use, incorporating low landscaping, street lights and removing hiding and lurking places.
Neighbourhood Centres
These offer the opportunity for clusters of uses, in particular community uses, to emerge with support through planning policy. The identification of Neighbourhood Centres recognises the wider role the centres play in supporting the local community as well as their retail function.
Neighbourhood Forum
An organisation established for the express purpose of furthering the social, economic and environmental well-being of individuals living, or wanting to live, in an area that consist of or includes the neighbourhood area concerned. There are other criteria the organisation has to meet, and if met/recognised by the local planning authority, the designation lasts for five years.
Neighbourhood Planning
The government is creating a new Neighbourhood Planning tier that will be led by the community rather than the Council. The Localism Bill, which recently became an Act, embeds Neighbourhood Planning in the formal planning system. The purpose of the legislation is to allow community groups to become involved in enabling and shaping and promoting growth and development that takes place in their local area.
Neighbourhood Development Plan
Neighbourhood Forums will be able to write a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) to set out policies and plans for their area. They should only cover land use planning issues, and not broader local concerns. Nor will an NDP cover strategic issues such as major development or major public transport infrastructure, but it will be able to guide local issues. The NDP will form part of the Development Plan which comprises the London-wide policy in the London Plan, the Council's planning policies and any other adopted NDPs. The NDP will need to conform with the Development Plan and the relevant national policies. The NDP will be able to be adopted as a formal part of the Development Plan (thereby gaining the status of a 'Development Plan Document'). This means that planning decisions will have to be made in accordance with the Neighbourhood Plan, (and other parts of the overall Development Plan), unless there are good planning reasons not to.
Night-Time Economy
The provision of a range of leisure and cultural facilities which provide jobs and entertainment for visitors and residents, including bars, clubs, music venues, restaurants, cinema, and theatres. Together these support and strengthen the town centre's economic standing and attraction beyond its function as a day-time workplace and shopping centre.
Opportunity Area Planning Framework (OAPF)
A non-statutory planning document issued by the Mayor of London. It is consistent with and is derived from the London Plan and other Mayoral strategies. Its purpose is to assist with the delivery of cross-borough projects, provide clarity to developers and investors, and guide borough planning decisions and policies.
Partners
Partners are any organisation that the Council works with to deliver a service or achieve an objective. A list of partner organisations can be found in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.
Permeability
Permeability is about movement and connection and the ease with which people are able to get to and move through places. A permeable place avoids severance by providing a clear choice of routes connecting to existing roads and facilities.
Planning Obligations
New development often creates a need for additional infrastructure or improved community services and facilities, without which there could be a detrimental effect on local amenity and the quality of the environment. Planning Obligations are the mechanism used to secure these measures. Planning obligations are intended to make acceptable development which would otherwise be unacceptable in planning terms. Planning Obligations are secured pursuant to Section 106 of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act (as amended) and the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and are often private agreements negotiated, usually in the context of planning applications, between the Council and persons with an interest in the land (Section 106 Agreement). Planning Obligations can also be given unilaterally to the Council by the persons with an interest in the land (Unilateral Undertaking).Planning obligations secured by way of a Section 106 agreement or Unilateral Undertaking (also called a Unilateral Obligation), are binding on the land and are therefore enforceable against all successors in title.
Pluvial Flooding
Flooding from water flowing over the surface of the ground; often occurs when the soil is saturated and natural drainage channels or artificial drainage systems have insufficient capacity to cope with additional flow.
Public Realm
The parts of a village, town or city (whether publicly or privately owned) that are available, without charge, for everyone to see, use and enjoy, including streets, squares and parks; all land to which everyone has ready, free and legal access 24 hours a day.
Public Transport Accessibility Level (PTAL)
A measure of the extent and ease of access by public transport, or the degree of access to the public transport network.
Registered Provider
All providers of social housing are listed on a register as a "Registered Provider" (RP).
Renewable energy
Energy derived from a source that is continually replenished, such as wind, waves, solar, hydroelectric and energy from plant material, but not fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Although not strictly renewable, geothermal energy is generally included.
Sewer Flooding
Flooding caused by a blockage or overflowing in a sewer or urban drainage system.
Soundness
Soundness is the essential measure of a Development Plan Document, especially a Local Plan, which is tested at a public examination. For a DPD to be “sound”, it must be positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy. “Positively prepared” means the strategy meets objectively assessed development requirements. “Justified” means that a document must be founded on a robust and credible evidence base and the most appropriate strategy when considered against the reasonable alternatives. “Effective” means that it must be deliverable, flexible and able to be monitored.
Source Protection Zone
These zones show the risk of contamination to groundwater, which supplies up to 80% of the drinking water in some parts of the South East, from any activities that might cause pollution in the area. The closer the activity, the greater the risk. There a three main zones (inner, outer and total catchment). In some instances nationwide there is a fourth zone of special interest. The Environment Agency use the zones in conjunction with their Groundwater Protection Policy to set up pollution prevention measures in areas which are at a higher risk, and to monitor the activities of potential polluters nearby.
Source Protection Zone 1 – Inner protection zone
Defined as the 50 day travel time from any point below the water table to the source. This zone has a minimum radius of 50 metres.
Source Protection Zone 2 – Outer protection zone
Defined by a 400 day travel time from a point below the water table. This zone has a minimum radius of 250 or 500 metres around the source, depending on the size of the abstraction.
Source Protection Zone 3 – Source catchment protection zone
Defined as the area around a source within which all groundwater recharge is presumed to be discharged at the source. In confined aquifers, the source catchment may be displaced some distance from the source. For heavily exploited aquifers, the final Source Catchment Protection Zone can be defined as the whole aquifer recharge area where the ratio of groundwater abstraction to aquifer recharge (average recharge multiplied by outcrop area) is >0.75. There is still the need to define individual source protection areas to assist operators in catchment management.
Stakeholder
A person or organisation with an interest in or concern for a particular place; one who affects or is affected by the processes of urban change.
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)
Sets out when, with whom and how consultation will be undertaken in connection with all documents to be prepared by the Council as part of the LDF and in the consideration of planning applications.
Statutory Listed Building
The national list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest maintained by Historic England on behalf of the government.
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD)
Documents produced by the Council as part of its LDF. These are not subject to independent examination but provide further explanation of policies or proposals in a DPD.
Sustainable Communities
Places where people want to live and work, now and in the future; that meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents, are sensitive to their environment and contribute to a high quality life. They are safe and inclusive, well planned, built, or modified to promote sustainable living.
Sustainability/Sustainable Development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development has three elements: environmental, economic and social sustainability. More generally, it is used as a benchmark for a range of economic, social, political, and environmental initiatives that contribute to the quality of life.
Sustainability Appraisal (SA)
The SA is a process of appraising DPD and SPD policies to ensure that an LDF is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. The Council must carry out an SA process that runs alongside the formulation of all its planning documents.
Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS)
The Local Strategic Partnership creates a long-term vision for the area to tackle local needs. The vision is set out in the SCS. The Local Area Agreement is the mechanism for making the vision a reality. All the SCS outcomes and targets are designed to deliver the vision set out in the SCS. The SCS is the 'plan of plans' in the area. It sits above all the other plans and should be based on evidence and consultation. The SCS should also set out the key tasks that the partners in the area need to achieve to improve its wellbeing. The Local Development Framework, particularly the Croydon Local Plan 2018 needs to demonstrate how it is delivering the SCS.
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
Drainage systems that seek to control and treat surface water run-off from a site to reduce risk of flooding and pollution by mimicking the processes performed by natural drainage systems such as wetlands
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment
The primary role of the SHLAA is to identify sites with potential for housing development, assess their housing potential and estimate when they are likely to be developed. Although the Assessment is an important evidence source to inform plan-making, it does not, in itself, determine whether a site should be allocated for housing development.
Transport for London (TfL)
Transport for London (TfL) is the organisation responsible for London's transport system. Its role is to implement the Mayor's Transport Strategy and manage transport services in London, for which the Mayor has ultimate responsibility.
Transport Assessments
An impartial assessment of the transport impacts of a proposed development
Travel Plan
A general term for a package of travel measures tailored to suit the needs of a business, school or other organisation at a given location or site. The aim is to promote greener, cleaner travel choices and reduced reliance on the car.
Urban Blue Corridors
A network of multifunctional spaces and corridors that provide safe routes and storage for flood water within the urban environment.
We are Croydon
This is the title given to the vision for Croydon contained in the Sustainable Community Strategy.
Windfall sites
These are sites which are developed for housing or another use, which were not known to be development sites at the time the development plan was prepared and therefore were not included as allocations in a development plan.
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